Good afternoon, As a follow up to this problem.
Reminder - Random crashes after the iMac 27” went for a drive to Ledge Point. Error report included: >>>>>>>> ** MCA Error Report *** >>>>>>>> CPU Machine Check Architecture Error Dump (CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) >>>>>>>> i5-7500 CPU @ 3.40GHz, CPUID: 0x906E9) >>>>>>>> CATERR detected! No MCA data found. Actions: I ran every conceivable test, computer showed normal. No faults identified by any testing app or process. It crashed even in Safe Mode. Took to Apple Centre in Perth who wiped computer and installed fresh OSX. Did not fault at Apple Centre. No faults found in their testing. I bought the machine home and reloaded data from Time Machine and the faults started again. Seemed particularly vulnerable for video production using iMovie but not replicate able. Eventually I took it to MacWorx in Joondalup. They had the machine for over a week and kept me informed at every step. With careful diagnosis they had a hunch that the SSD component of the fusion drive was faulty. To prove this theory they cloned my drive and rebooted off an external SSD. This was successful and the machine did not fault. They opened the machine, removed the existing fusion drive and replaced it with the cloned SSD. The problem has been resolved. Cost was much less than expected and I can only speak highly of the careful diagnostic skills of the team at MacWorx and their customer service. The SSD part of the fusion drive is attached to the motherboard on the computer and is not part of the drive itself. It is used as a 32gb buffer where frequently used data is stored to increase access speed. It seems the SSD component of the process had failed or was failing - but testing never showed up any faults. Happy outcome at last. Tim > On 3 Nov 2020, at 9:39 pm, Tim Law <[email protected]> wrote: > > My positivities were short-lived. After an hour or more of normal running > whilst I was making an iMovie, the dreaded tick tick tick of a computer in > loop appeared, then shut down. This kept happening for four of five restarts > until I gave up. Now returning home I find a circle with a line through it. > > I’ve rebooted into Recovery, run disk utility and reloaded the OSX. > > If it happens again, I’m off to MacWorx. :-( > > Tim > >> On 3 Nov 2020, at 8:46 am, Tim Law <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Good morning, >> >> After a couple of days of no random freezes I’m becoming confident a >> solution has appeared. The initial problem I feel was RAM being moved a >> fraction whilst the computer was being transported, screen down, in my car. >> >> I focused on testing RAM one stick at a time and moving it around into >> various bays. Plus resetting PRAM, SMC, reinstalling the OS from recovery, >> held D on restart for a test process to commence, but still the freezes >> would come. >> >> One thing I didn’t do very well was the restarting procedure. I don’t >> normally have to restart the iMac, so wasn’t familiar with how long to hold >> the power button for. Once I read on the Apple support description on adding >> RAM >> "Your iMac performs a memory initialisation procedure when you first turn it >> on after upgrading memory or rearranging DIMMs. This process can take 30 >> seconds or more, and the display of your iMac remains dark until it's >> finished. Make sure you let the memory initialisation complete.” >> >> I realised I had probably been interrupting this. I then held the power >> button for about half a second to get it going and walked away until it did >> it’s thing and bingo, the iMac has stayed running correctly. >> >> Simple really….. :-) >> >> Thanks >> >> >> >> >> >>> On 30 Oct 2020, at 1:07 am, Daniel Kerr <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> No worries, fingers crossed something there resolves it! Good luck with it >>> :) >>> Kind regards >>> Daniel >>> >>> --- >>> Daniel Kerr >>> MacWizardry >>> >>> Phone: 0414 795 960 >>> Email: <daniel AT macwizardry.com.au> >>> Web: <http://www.macwizardry.com.au> >>> >>> >>> **For everything Apple** >>> >>> NOTE: Any information provided in this email may be my personal opinion and >>> as such should be taken accordingly, and may not be the views of >>> MacWizardry. Any information provided does not offer or warrant any form of >>> warranty or accept liability. It would be appreciated that if any >>> information in this email is to be disseminated, distributed or copied, >>> that permission by the author be requested. >>> >>>> On 29 Oct 2020, at 10:51 pm, Tim Law <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> Getting somewhere I think Daniel. Thanks heaps >>>> >>>> Tim's red iPhone >>>> >>>>> On 29 Oct 2020, at 10:07 pm, Daniel Kerr <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Hi Tim >>>>> >>>>> Generally I use the bottom slot, as that tends to be the first one it >>>>> checks. (And Apple ship in the bottom two by default,..so I assume that >>>>> first one is the first one it checks). >>>>> Kind regards >>>>> Daniel >>>>> >>>>> --- >>>>> Daniel Kerr >>>>> MacWizardry >>>>> >>>>> Phone: 0414 795 960 >>>>> Email: <daniel AT macwizardry.com.au> >>>>> Web: <http://www.macwizardry.com.au> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> **For everything Apple** >>>>> >>>>> NOTE: Any information provided in this email may be my personal opinion >>>>> and as such should be taken accordingly, and may not be the views of >>>>> MacWizardry. Any information provided does not offer or warrant any form >>>>> of warranty or accept liability. It would be appreciated that if any >>>>> information in this email is to be disseminated, distributed or copied, >>>>> that permission by the author be requested. >>>>> >>>>>> On 29 Oct 2020, at 9:23 pm, Tim Law <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Always helpful Daniel >>>>>> >>>>>> Does it matter which slot I have the RAM in? >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Tim's red iPhone >>>>>> >>>>>>>> On 29 Oct 2020, at 9:12 pm, Daniel Kerr <[email protected]> >>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi Tim >>>>>>> >>>>>>> When you removed and replaced the RAM, did you put it all back or test >>>>>>> it separately? >>>>>>> That would be one check, is just run it on one stick of RAM at a time. >>>>>>> It will be slow, but this can narrow down if a stick is faulty. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Also, you can check the drive as well to ensure that’s ok. >>>>>>> I recommend the following SMART Utility. (You can run it in Shareware >>>>>>> mode) >>>>>>> https://www.volitans-software.com/apps/smart-utility/ >>>>>>> This will check the drives and advise is “Passed” (green), “Failing” >>>>>>> (orange) or “Failed” (red). It works with Fusion Drives as well and >>>>>>> will test both HDD and SSD separately. >>>>>>> I’ve used it to find faulty drives even before Apple Disk Utility finds >>>>>>> them. So it’s a good little tool. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> That would be my first things to try anyway, just to rule out a stick >>>>>>> of RAM and drive is ok. >>>>>>> Also try an SMC reset and PRAM reset. (I have steps on my FAQ page of >>>>>>> my website if you’re not familiar with that. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Try those and see how you go. >>>>>>> If no success, and seeing you’re up Duncraig way I’d recommend MacWorx >>>>>>> Joondalup. (Delage Street, Joondalup) - www.macworx.com.au >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Hope something there helps. >>>>>>> Kind regards >>>>>>> Daniel >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone 12 Pro >>>>>>> >>>>>>> --- >>>>>>> Daniel Kerr >>>>>>> MacWizardry >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Phone: 0414 795 960 >>>>>>> Email: <daniel AT macwizardry.com.au> >>>>>>> Web: <http://www.macwizardry.com.au> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> **For everything Apple** >>>>>>> >>>>>>> NOTE: Any information provided in this email may be my personal opinion >>>>>>> and as such should be taken accordingly, and may not be the views of >>>>>>> MacWizardry. Any information provided does not offer or warrant any >>>>>>> form of warranty or accept liability. It would be appreciated that if >>>>>>> any information in this email is to be disseminated, distributed or >>>>>>> copied, that permission by the author be requested. >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On 29 Oct 2020, at 8:39 pm, Tim Law <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Hello folks. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> I have an unhappy iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017) >>>>>>>> 40Gb RAM >>>>>>>> 10.15.7 >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Problem is random restarts. >>>>>>>> First symptom is the mouse freezes then about 30 seconds later the >>>>>>>> computer turns off and restarts. This happens enough to be very >>>>>>>> annoying, and has occurred whilst I was drafting this message. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> The problem first occurred after I had transported the computer, >>>>>>>> screen down, on the seat of my car. No physical external damage is >>>>>>>> apparent. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Problem does occur in Safe Boot mode, though not as frequently as in >>>>>>>> normal mode. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> EtreCheck shows nothing out of order >>>>>>>> Rebooting into recovery mode and running both Disk Utility and reload >>>>>>>> latest operating system have been done. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> *** MCA Error Report *** >>>>>>>> CPU Machine Check Architecture Error Dump (CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) >>>>>>>> i5-7500 CPU @ 3.40GHz, CPUID: 0x906E9) >>>>>>>> CATERR detected! No MCA data found. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> I had assumed it was a hardware problem triggered by moving the >>>>>>>> machine but nothing is showing up in any errors that I have seen. I >>>>>>>> have removed and replaced the RAM. When running, it functions >>>>>>>> normally as expected. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Any thoughts on what else I could do before taking it to the doctor? >>>>>>>> Which doctor is recommended. >>>>>>>> I live in Duncraig area. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Thanks >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >>>>>>>> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >>>>>>>> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >>>>>>>> Settings & Unsubscribe - >>>>>>>> <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >>>>>>> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >>>>>>> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >>>>>>> Settings & Unsubscribe - >>>>>>> <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >>>>>> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >>>>>> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >>>>>> Settings & Unsubscribe - >>>>>> <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> >>>>> >>>>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >>>>> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >>>>> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >>>>> Settings & Unsubscribe - >>>>> <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> >>>> >>>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >>>> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >>>> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >>>> Settings & Unsubscribe - >>>> <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> >>> >>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >>> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >>> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >>> Settings & Unsubscribe - >>> <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> >> >> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >> Settings & Unsubscribe - >> <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> Settings & Unsubscribe - <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug>
